A Knoxville woman today was ordered to the dog house after a district judge found her guilty of leaving her cat in a hot car, seriously harming the animal.

It was the second time that Cherie Phipps has been charged with cruelty to animals, humane officers said.

District Judge Eugene Ricciardi ordered Ms. Phipps to serve 90 days in jail, pay a $750 fine, forfeit her cat to Animal Friends, and to not own any animals for a 90 days.

However, Ms. Phipps was not present at the hearing, and officials are searching for her.

She was charged July 14.

With temperatures around 85 degrees outside, a passerby reported to the Allegheny County District Attorney's office that a cat was seen in dire straits in a hot car parked on Schenley Drive near Forbes Avenue in Oakland.

The DA's office notified Animal Friends Inc. Humane Officer Katie Waters who, with Pittsburgh police, rescued the cat, named Tia.

Officer Waters removed the animal and took it to a veterinarian. Tia has been kept since then by Animal Friends.

The cat soon will be healthy enough to be available for adoption, Officer Waters said.

Ms. Phipps was convicted last summer in a similar incident in which a dog died of heat stroke in her overheated car in Mount Oliver Borough.

A warrant has been issued for Ms. Phipps' arrest.

More details in tomorrow's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.